Tag Archives: Saarinen Side Table

When I first met Steve & learned of his last name, I immediately asked if he realized his name is a combination of two major (& competitor) furniture companies. He did NOT know that, but since, he has become well versed in the furniture produced by both companies.

To catch everyone else up… here’s a little furniture production history for you…

KNOLL:

In 1946 Florence & Hans Knoll founded Knoll Associates- what has become known simply as Knoll today… Hans came from a German furniture manufacturing family & Florence was trained as a space planner & architect. Together they worked to bring the furniture creations of architects & other designers to production in American production. Knoll brought in the architects & had them develop furniture lines. Many of these pieces are still in production (and high demand) today.

MILLER:

Herman Miller started out as the Star furniture company in 1905, and became “Herman Miller” in 1923. In response to the great depression- the manufacturing company decided to move away from traditional furniture production to “to focus on products better suited to the changing needs and life styles of Americans” – This worked out well for us- since with that shift in focus, came the addition of George Nelson as a style director- and the production of Charles & Ray Eames molded plywood furniture. Thank you Herman Miller!

So, while I’m still waiting for someone from Knoll to call me & commission a line of furniture, Team Steamie has been busy- hunting down some of those iconic items produced by knoll & herman miller.

We recently found one such piece.

The Saarinen Side Table was designed for Knoll be Finnish Architect Eero Saarinen. From the Knoll website, “In a 1956 cover story in Time magazine, Eero Saarinen said he was designing a collection to “clear up the slum of legs in the U.S. home.” Later that year, he completed his Pedestal Table and Tulip™ Chair Collection (1956) and obliterated the “slum” by creating a cast aluminum base inspired by a drop of high-viscosity liquid. This table is manufactured by Knoll® according to the original and exacting specifications of the designer. Made in Italy. ”

Yet again, Craigslist is an amazing service. Steve found this authentic Knoll piece in someone adorably mid-century apartment in Costa Mesa. They were happy to hear it was going to a good (albeit, slightly furniture obsessed) home.